Closed Captions in Adobe Premiere

[Richard Clabaugh]

Imry,

This is the correct link the the procedure I am using:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/3/1009280

[Richard Clabaugh]

I’ve developed a few work around methods to get the H.264 with embedded captions that I need to deliver to clients, but it’s in multiple steps. Also I’m working on 30 second commercials that I have to deliver via upload to stations that require Closed Captions embedded in an H.264 file for upload. They don’t take sidecars and ProRes is too big to upload so not accepted.

For you the size of the material may be an issue, but here’s what I do.

First – Edit and do your captions as normal in your current version of Premiere Pro, then Export as a Quicktime ProRes file with the captions embedded for use an an intermediate master.

Once I’ve done that there are two ways I can get a final H.264 with captions.

Method 1
Step 1 – An older copy of Premiere Pro: I have an OLD copy of Premiere Pro in which I can open the exported ProRes file. While the old version will not open a newer Premiere Pro project file, it will open a ProRes file as that format has not changed.

Step 2 – From that program, I can still export an H.264 with embedded closed captions, so once I have that file open, I export the H.264 just like I used to.

I have two machines, one of which I keep the older Premiere Pro on, but if you have only one machine you can still do this by downloading an older version of Premiere Pro (it’s an option you have to dig for but it’s there in the subscription) and run that version only when you need to do this step.

This works on Mac or PC and requires no additional spending.

Method 2 – if working on a Mac:

A little bit of money (not a lot) but easier…

I downloaded Apple’s “Compressor” software ($50) and use that to convert the ProRes intermediate file to an H.264 with embedded captions. It’s one a single step and that’s pretty much all I use Compressor for, but it’s easier than working between two machines or keeping two versions of Premiere Pro installed.

Alternate: I you don’t want to work in ProRes – I believe you can marry a sidecar file to a video file in Compressor and export that way, which keeps you from having to make a large ProRes intermediate, but may result in a little loss of video quality as you re-compress H.264.

Yes, all of these are a pain in the butt and a stupid set of work arounds that should be unnecessary, but that’s what I’m doing to deliver the commercials I do for broadcast with embdded closed captions as I am required to do for the jobs I have.

I don’t understand why Adobe removed this feature from their products. I assume they must have to pay a license fee and decided it wasn’t worth it for most people, but it’s a major inconvenience for me as a working broadcast professional.

Sorry I don’t have a better method. If others do, I’m eager to hear it.

[Imry Halevi]

Thanks for the info!

The only thing I haven’t solved yet is how to get my H.264 files that already have embedded captions into Premiere, which maintaining the captions. Can’t figure that out.

[Imry Halevi]

Tried an old version of Premiere. Still can’t get it to read the embedded captions.

Here is the file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/w2rhegjpr4ulgv0/Closed%20Captions%20LiveCut%20Test%201-2.mp4?dl=0

I can see the captions in VLC Player and Handbrake. But how can I import them into Premiere. Happy to convert, extract or demux them first. But how? Where?

Imry